SWITZERLAND
Sep 6 – 17, 2026
PRICE
$4,500
DURATION
13 Days | 12 Nights
GROUP MAX
14 People
PHYSICAL
Moderate
WEATHER
Fall-like, 50F-75F
TOUR OVERVIEW
Experience the best of Switzerland. Weave through jaw-dropping, picture-perfect alps on road as well as stop at local towns. Classic German and French cuisines, along with temptations like chocolate, cheese, wine and hot chocolate which will satisfy your hunger and thirst. See Luzern, Bern, Geneva and other towns and feel what it’s like to be a Swiss!
TOUR LEADER
Darren Frazier
TOUR PRICE
$4,500
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
DAY 1 • • • Arrive into Zürich Airport (ZRH) before midday. Head to a tiny, cozy town, Schaffhausen, home to the mighty Rhine Falls. See the roaring waters. Meet and greet with two wonderful Deaf locals over welcome dinner in town. Overnight in Schaffhausen.
DAY 2 • • • Drive through scenic Appenzell District. Peek inside Liechtenstein, the world’s sixth smallest country with a view of Vaduz Castle. Final stop at Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland, check in at the hotel. Overnight in Chur.
DAY 3 • • • Enjoy a morning walking tour in Chur with a local Deaf guide. Check out of the hotel and drive to Luzern, a charming lakeside town. Late afternoon stroll in Luzern: Cross the Chapel Bridge, see the ‘Dying Lion’ monument and shop at Swiss Army knives store. Stay in Luzern for 3 nights.
DAY 4 • • • Start your day on a lake cruise from Luzern to Alpnachstad. Go atop Pilatus Mountain (6,982 ft) on a steep cogwheel railway and be in awe of a panorama view of 70+ peaks. Free time at the top, including lunch. Return to Luzern by rail.
DAY 5 • • • Head to Engelberg where the tale of William Tell and the birthplace of Switzerland all started. Ride on the world’s first revolving gondola to atop Mount Titlis (10,623 ft) for breathtaking views. Walk through a Titlis glacier tunnel. Dare to walk across the highest suspension bridge. Time and weather permitting, on the way back to Luzern, we hop in an amazing open-air gondola and enjoy the sunset view!
DAY 6 • • • Check out of the hotel and take a scenic route via Furka Pass and Interlaken to Fribourg. Afternoon walking tour with a local deaf guide in town. Dine at a deaf-owned restaurant. Sleep in Fribourg for 4 nights.
DAY 7 • • • A day trip to Bern! On the way, a quick stopover to see the amazing Roman amphitheater in Avenches. Arrive in Bern and do a walking tour with a local deaf guide. See Switzerland Parliament, Clock Tower, Cathedral, Bear Park and more. Have a group lunch with a city view of Bern. Free time afterwards. Have dinner at lakeside town, Murten. Return to Fribourg.
DAY 8 • • • Drive through the gorgeous mountaintop valley. Go inside the 13th Century chateau in Gruyeres briefly. Continue driving to Montreux/Vevey region and visit the fascinating Charlie Chaplin Museum. Check out the picturesque Castle Chillon before a wine tasting at a small terrace in the middle of the Lavaux vineyards with a view of the lake. Return to Fribourg.
DAY 9 • • • A day trip to Geneva! Drive to Geneva and explore all day with a local deaf guide. Hop on an old ferry and sip wine while enjoying the lake views. Get off the ferry and hop back in the van and return to Fribourg.
DAY 10 • • • Check out of the hotel early. Scenic drive to Zermatt, including riding on a carport rail through a tunnel. Check in hotel. Afternoon walking tour in the village and have fondue-style dinner. Sleep in Zermatt for 2 nights.
DAY 11 • • • Get on world’s famous 125 years old cog railway, Gornergrat. Enjoy the views of Matterhorn. Return to the village. Free time afterwards. Optional: Take the Matterhorn Glacier Express.
DAY 12 • • • Check out of the hotel early and drive to Zurich! Enjoy a walking tour in the city with a local Deaf guide. Have a farewell dinner. Overnight in Zurich.
DAY 13 • • • Check out of the hotel and transfer to Zürich airport (ZRH) for your departure flight anytime to your next respective destination.
- 12 nights in 3-star accommodations.
- 14 meals: Breakfast (12), Dinner (2)
- Services of a deaf Tour Leader on call 24 hours a day.
- Services of local deaf and/or hearing guides.
- All transportation expenses.
- All admission fees for attractions and museums mentioned in the itinerary.
- Most tips, except for your Tour Leader.
- Informative travel preparation packet.
- Pre-tour and/or post-tour itinerary consultation.
- $100 discount per person on your next regular tour.
- Domestic and/or international airfares.
- All other meals not mentioned in the itinerary and personal expenses.
- Travel Insurance
- Any COVID-19 related tests.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MoreTOUR MANAGER
Darren Frazier
TOUR PRICE
$4,500
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MorePRICE
$4,500
DURATION
13 Days | 12 Nights
GROUP MAX
14 People
PHYSICAL
Moderate
WEATHER
Fall-like, 50F-75F
GALLERY
Got a Question?
First, please scroll through our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions or need help with a specific topic, feel free to contact us! Thank you.
RESERVATION
Spots are based on a first come, first serve basis. A $500 deposit per person is required to reserve your space and can be paid with a debit or credit card. Alternative payment options include personal check or wire transfer. After registration, you will receive an automatic email response with further instructions. Full payment is due 90 days before the start of your tour.
Absolutely yes! You can contact us by clicking this link and fill out the form and we will get back to you. Above all, we want to make your tour a memorable one for your group.
HOT is proud of the three distinct reasons that allow it to be different from other tour companies: they use sign language exclusively, travel in small groups which provide an intimate experience while also having more flexibility on their schedule, and spend time visiting places they love versus wasting time at places where there wasn’t much interest..
Generally, all tours will provide accommodations in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast, transportation expenses including lunch and dinner (depending on the itinerary), museum entrance fees along with a $100 credit towards your next full tour. In addition we provide you with information about each specific tour so that you can be fully aware of what is included.
We will be happy to assist you with a custom-designed tour, tailored towards your preferences. If not, stay up to date by joining our mailing list in order for us to provide you with any future tours that we may have availability for.
Did you know that we have travel consultants who can assist you? You can go to our Travel Consulting page for more information. The best way to accomplish this would be to seek out friends and/or family members (usually in order of 6 people) so they will lower the costs significantly, or advertise open spots on your tour publicly. We also have discounts, and some other advantages! What’s more- we are able to lower the level of accommodations as well as remove extras all together which make it feasible for a low cost.
It is often easier for us to permit single travelers when it comes time to sign up for our tours. If you are unable to find a partner and need assistance, please contact us as we may have singles available on the list- pending your approval first. There are some tours that allow exceptions for those seeking not only with partners but also without them too!
If somebody backs out, please register on our wait list or contact us directly so that we can put you on the wait list for a similar tour. We will also keep your name up to date with our latest tours and alerts about similar upcoming trips in order to give you a chance at joining them.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Hands On Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. To learn more about how to help protect you and your trip investment, visit the following link: TRAVEL PROTECTION
Don’t hesitate. We will stay in touch with you from the date of deposit until your arrival at the starting point of your tour, to make sure that all is well before departure. You can contact us via phone or e-mail any time for questions and we will remain in communication throughout your trip!
BILLING
No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.
You can find this under our Terms & Conditions. If you find it necessary to cancel your confirmed tour reservation, you must notify HOT about it by e-mail. You may transfer your space to another suitable person or request us to seek replacements. If your replacement is found, HOT will, at its discretion depending on the time frame, refund your deposits/payments or apply it towards a future Hands on Travel tour that is to be taken no more than 3 years after the dates of the original tour. If your replacement is not found, the cancellation of your reservation will become effective and the following charges will apply: (a) if cancelled more than 90 days before the first day of the tour, all installment or additional payments will be refunded to you minus the non-refundable deposit of US $500 per person and any non-refundable payments that HOT has made to suppliers. (b) if cancelled less than 90 days before the first day of the tour, no refunds will be made.
Since tour prices are quoted as a package, no partial refunds can be made for the unused portion of any tour including lodging, meals, or any other items that are included in the tour price. This does not apply to those who wish to participate in only a portion of a tour. In this case, we can pro-rate costs for the unused days.
After registration, you will receive an automatic email reply with further instructions. A $500 per person booking deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip and can be paid by personal check, credit card and/or wire transfer. Full payment is due no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.
If you need to cancel or postpone your trip 3 or more months before the start, all monies paid will be refunded minus the $500 non-refundable deposit. You can also transfer the entire amount of your deposit to be used for a later trip if we are able to find replacements.
DURING THE TOUR
Big coach buses separate us from local people. We fail to experience or understand the “hands on” lives of locals.
We started out as a walking tour company. Walking offers close-up experiences with local people and hidden gems to discover.
It’s much easier to communicate full to everyone in semi-circle and make sign language 100% accessible. No more missing what is being said.
We’d be able to dine in smaller, cozier and unique restaurants that would offer a local culinary experience unlike large, tourist-oriented restaurants. And, we’d be able to stay at smaller accommodations in prime locations unlike large chain hotels outside the city limits.
We strive to include local guides for certain days to promote maximum cultural experience as well as exchange deaf-related insights.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
